Proposal to revise the Principles for the Development of the Academic Calendar (D 5314-5315) — Kenneth Ralls (professor, mechanical engineering and Calendar Committee chair).1

VIII.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRESIDENT — William Powers Jr.

A.

Comments by the President.

B.

Questions to the President.

1.

Mr. President,
I have heard about and observed a trend toward increased decision-making on allocation of some resources at the departmental level, specifically by department chairs. I have come to think of this as a strengthening of the department chair system across campus. Yet, there is variance across campus in how department chairs define their jobs and in the characteristics and value systems they possess that strongly impact faculty’s daily lives and potential productivity. Do you have any thoughts to share on this and might Faculty Council have something to contribute?
from Linda L. Golden, 2006-07 Faculty Council Chair.

2.

Annotated Summary of Fall, 2006, Faculty Council Survey Results with Issue Identification for the Presidential Open Forum on March 19, 2007 (see appendix)2

IX.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMENTS.

A.

The Standing Committees should submit any motions and/or reports for action by the Faculty Council at the April 16th and May 7th meetings no later than March 28 and April 26, respectively.

B.

General Faculty At-Large Elections to the Faculty Council, final phase, are scheduled for March 26 through April 6.

1 The proposal was added to the agenda and posted on the Faculty Council’s Web site on March 16, 2007.

2 Added to the agenda and posted on the Faculty Council’s Web site on March 16, 2007.

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C.

Please remember our joint faculty governance event with the Graduate Assembly: “Breakfast with the Provost and Central Administration Deans” on March 29th from 7:00-9:30 a.m. at the Campus Club on Guadalupe. PLEASE RESPOND TO YOUR eVITE ASAP (REGRET OR ACCEPT), IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY.

D.

The Faculty Council annual photograph will be taken on April 16 at 2:00 p.m. on the south steps of the Main building, immediately preceding the Faculty Council meeting.

E.

Annual Reports of the General Faculty Standing Committees are due in the Office of the General Faculty no later than April 15, 2007. Please get these in on time so your Faculty Council Executive Committee (FCEC) and FCEC+ can focus on any matters that you might have that can be acted on this academic year (up to and including our May 7th meeting).

F.

Faculty Council is one of the co-sponsors of the Student Government event, “Keep UT Hate Free,” with a week of special events, beginning March 26th.

X.

QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR.

XI.

ADJOURNMENT.

Sue A. Greninger, Secretary
The Faculty Council

Distributed through the Faculty Council Web site on March 15 2007. Copies are available on request from the Office of the General Faculty, WMB 2.102, F9500.